Set in Jamaica after the close of the Second World War, Jean Goubourne's short stories describe the rural town in which she grew up, and the local gossip and tales that were passed down the generations. She evokes the long, sun-drenched summers of her childhood, and her relationships with various eccentric family members, as well as describing the lives and loves of members of the community, from both ends of the social scale: a bored cashier dreams of breaking free, while a pastor fights the persistent influence of an obeah man. Written with wit, warmth and affection, these stories paint a picture of a small village in a fast-changing world.'Jean Goulbourne writes with insight, humour and deep affection about the lives of rural Jamaicans in this collection of short stories. Short and punchy, the stories help us see the village life in the years after the Second World War. From a pompous Justice of the Peace protesting the havoc Daylight Saving Time has wrought on his profitable business to the unintended consequences of using obeah to get a rebellious son to leave the nest, the themes are eclectic and the form varied. Individually, the stories introduce us to a multitude of characters of all ages, collectively they draw a picture of the day to day life in communities where all the usual frailties but also great cohesion and strength of character and purpose are on show. This is afemale voice writing about a disappearing world with clarity, compassion and wit.' [Patricia Cumper, playwright]